pa enterprise - deskdemon€¦ · pa enterprise march 2016 travel low-cost airline norwegian has...

PA EntErPrisE

PA Enterprise is published by

DeskDemon’s Magazine for Executive PAs, Office Managers and Secretaries

March 2016

What does your front door say

about you?

Are we neglecting our

brain health?

Organise your office ... and get more done

Technolgy etiquette in the office

PA EnTErPrisE MAgAzinE

www.deskdemon.com

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PA ENTERPRISE

PA Enterprise is published by

DeskDemon’s Magazine for Executive PAs, Office Managers and Secretaries

March 2016

What does your front door say

about you?

Are we neglecting our

brain health?

Organise your office ... and get more done

Technolgy etiquette in the office

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Copyright 2016 DeskDemon.comPA Enterprise is sent to DeskDemon UK e–newsletter, audited by ABCe (5th/6th July 2007) with a net distribution of 70,581 email addresses.

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Contents

4 Norwegian puts record number low-cost flights to the U.S. on sale

5 Wondering what to watch, read, listen to or play next?

6 Survey findings show the over 50s will take the UK out of the EU

8 How to organise your office and get more done

12 Tips for Technology Etiquette in the office

15 Are we neglecting our brain health?

16 Top 5 trends affecting technology professionals in 2016

18 What does your front door say about you?

PA Enterprise is published by 4 PA Enterprise March 2016

Travel

Low-cost airline Norwegian has released a record number of seats for holiday-seeking Brits looking to jet away this summer to the U.S. 425,000 seats are now available on Norwegian’s direct flights between the UK and U.S. which include Norwegian’s two latest low-cost destinations – Boston and San Francisco-Oakland with fares from £135.

Norwegian is the only low-cost airline in the UK flying transatlantic direct to seven U.S. destinations on state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The brand new, larger 787-9 Dreamliner has joined Norwegian’s fleet meaning UK passengers can now access 42,000 more low-cost seats as the airline begins its busiest ever summer.

Almost 80,000 seats are up for grabs between London and Boston from March 27, while San

Francisco-Oakland, which launches on May 12, has almost 45,000 seats on sale this summer. Popular family-favourite flights from Gatwick to Orlando also return this summer with 35,000 seats from as low as £199 one way.

Norwegian first launched UK flights in 2003 and is Europe’s third largest low-cost airline. The carrier operates from London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester Airports to 34 destinations worldwide.

Norwegian is the only airline to offer free inflight WiFi on UK flights to more than 30 European destinations

The airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world with an average age of four years, including next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 737-800s.

Norwegian puts record number low-cost flights to the U.S. on sale

Nearly 500,000 seats to the U.S. available this summer from £135

New larger Dreamliner aircraft offer more seats

PA Enterprise is published by PA Enterprise March 2016 5

Technology

How often do you find yourself struggling to find a good movie to watch? Don’t we all get frustrated browsing through endless lists of disappointing titles?

itcher is a new entertainment recommendations app that uses the power of its community matching like-minded users to generate its results. The itcher community is growing quickly, with 20k+ new users in January 2016 alone.

With itcher you can now get personalised recommendations you’ll be sure to love! This new app provides accurate film, book, music and game recommendations based entirely on your individual taste.

Wondering what to watch, read, listen to or play next?Find your new favourite film, book, album or game in under a minute with the new recommendations app itcher

• Your first recommendations in less than 60 seconds

• Over 3.7 million titles to explore

• The more you rate the better your recommendations get!

• Found something you like? Check out trailers, cast, reviews, ratings, similar titles and more

• save titles you want to watch, read, listen to or play later to different lists

• Follow users with similar interests

• App available on iOs & Android platforms

www.itcher.com


In the latest Silversurfers.com Barometer survey, survey respondents revealed that they have lost faith in the EU. In Harold Wilson’s 1975 Referendum on whether to stay in the EEC (or Common Market) over 67% of voters supported the Labour government’s campaign to stay in the EEC. Today, we have a very different picture; if the over 50s were asked to vote today, Silversurfers Barometer survey with 6,000 participants found:

65% would vote to leave the EU

21% would vote to stay in the EU

14% are undecided

This means that as 86% of the over 50s have decided how they will vote, even if the 14% undecided swing in favour of the EU - over 50s Brexit supporters are likely to take the UK out of the EU.

Martin Lock, CEO of Silversurfers, said, “What

Survey findings show the over 50s will take the UK out of the EUSilversurfers Barometer survey of 6000 people reveals that 65% of over 50s will vote for Brexit in the forthcoming Referendum. 33% of over 50s who voted in favour of the EEC in 1975 have changed their minds and are now in favour of Brexit.

Current Affairs


is really fascinating is that the over 50s have changed their minds. They’ve lived with the EU (in all its forms) since 1972 and they’ve had enough! A staggering 33% who originally voted in favour of the EEC have lost their faith in the EU and now want to leave. It is widely recognised that the over 50s are the age group of voters who make the effort to vote. This means that it is possible that their votes could be the deciding factor on whether the UK stays in or out.”

The top five reasons given by the over 50s survey respondents who want to Brexit:

93% - immigration controls

93% - interference from Brussels

82% - cost of the European Parliament

81% - protection of British sovereignty

74% - welfare and benefits

The Silversurfers.com Barometer survey also found that more men are likely to vote to leave the EU (70%) as opposed to women (62%) and women are twice as likely to be undecided (17%) as men (8%).

84% of survey participants thought that David Cameron could have done better or failed to get a good deal for the UK and only 16% thought he had done as well as he could have done.

Interestingly, 21% of undecided voters are influenced by Boris Johnson’s views.

With the exception of Scotland (42% to leave, 40% to stay, and 18% undecided) all UK regions showed similar intentions about leaving the EU.

Martin Lock, CEO Silversurfers.com, commented: “With over 6,000 people responding to our survey, it is clear that the over 50s are pleased to have a new platform for their opinions. However, 42% stated that they did not have enough information to make a decision which means that there is still a huge opportunity to influence the overs 50s in the run up to the Referendum. Silversurfers’ new Barometer surveys give a voice to the over 50s and it looks like they will be a the deciding factor in whether we stay in or leave the EU.”

Current Affairs


Workplace

You may think that you don’t have time to organise your office, but if you really knew how much time that disorganisation cost you, you’d reconsider. Rearranging and moving piles occasionally doesn’t count. Neither does clearing off your desk, if you swipe the mess into a bin, or a desk drawer. A relatively neat and orderly office space clears the way for higher productivity and less wasted time.

Organising your office doesn’t have to take days, it can be done a little at a time. In fact maintaining an organised office is much more effective if you treat it like an ongoing project, instead of a massive assault. So, if you’re ready to get started, the following tips will help you transform your office into an efficient workspace.

great tips for how to organise your office space

1. Purge your office

De-clutter, empty, shred, get rid of everything that you don’t need or want. Look around. What haven’t you used in a while? Take one area at a time. If it doesn’t work, send it out for repair or toss it. If you haven’t used it in months and can’t think of when you’ll actually need it, out it goes. This goes for furniture, equipment, supplies, etc. Don’t forget about knick-knacks, plants (real or artificial), and decorations – if they’re covered with dust and make your office look shabby, they’re fair game.

How to organise your office and get more doneYou may think that you don’t have time to organise your office, but if you really knew how much time that disorganisation cost you, you’d reconsider. Rearranging and moving piles occasionally doesn’t count. Neither does clearing off your desk, if you swipe the mess into a bin, or a desk drawer. A neat and orderly office space clears the way for higher productivity and less wasted time.

By Royale Scuderi

Continued


Workplace

Continued


Workplace

2. gather and redistribute

Gather up every item that isn’t where it belongs and put it where it does.

3. Establish work “zones”

Decide what type of activity happens in each area of your office. You’ll probably have a main workspace (most likely your desk,) a reference area (filing cabinet, shelves, binders,) and a supply area (closet, shelves or drawers.) Place the appropriate equipment and supplies are located in the proper area as much as possible.

4. Close proximity

Position the equipment and supplies that you use most within reach. Things that you rarely use can be stored or put away.

5. get a good labeller

Choose a label maker that’s simple to use. Take the time to label shelves, bins, baskets drawers. Not only will it remind you where things go, but it will also help others who

may have a need to find, use, or put away anything in your workspace.

6. revise your filing system

As we move fully into the digital age, the need to store paper files has decreased. What can your store digitally? Are you duplicating files? You may be able to eliminate some of the files and folders you’ve used in the past. If you’re storing files on your computer, make sure you are doing regular back-ups. Some quick tips for creating a smooth filing system:

7. Create a meeting folder

Put all “items to be discussed” in there along with items that need to be handed off, reports that need to be given, etc. It’ll help you be prepared for meetings and save you stress in the even that a meeting is moved up.

8. Create a WOr folder

So much of our messy papers are things that are on hold until someone else responds or acts. Corral them in a WOR (Waiting on


Workplace

Response) folder. Check it every few days for outstanding actions you may need to follow-up on.

9. Clear off your desk

Remove everything, clean it thoroughly and put back only those items that are essential for daily use.

10. Organise your desktop

Now that you’ve streamlined you desktop, it’s a good idea to organise it. Use desktop organisers or containers to organise the items on your desk. Use trays for papers, containers for smaller items.

11. Organise your drawers

Put items used together in the same drawer space, stamps with envelopes, sticky pads with notepads, etc. Use drawer organisers for little items – paper clips, tacks, etc. Use a separate drawer for personal items.

12. separate inboxes

If you work regularly with other people create a folder, tray, or inbox for each.

13. Clear your piles

Hopefully with your new organised office, you won’t create piles of paper anymore, but you still have to sort through the old ones. Go through the pile (a little at a time if necessary) and put it in the appropriate place or dump it.

14. sort mail

Don’t just stick mail in a pile to be sorted or rifle through and take out the pieces you need right now. Sort it as soon as you get it – To act, To read, To file, To delegate or hand off.

15. Assign discard dates

You don’t need to keep every piece of paper indefinitely. Mark on files or documents when

they can be tossed or shredded. Some legal or financial documents must be kept for specified length of time. Make sure you know what those requirements are.

16. storage boxes

Use inexpensive storage boxes to keep archived files and get them out of your current file space.

17. Magazine boxes

Use magazine boxes or binders to store magazines and catalogs you really want to store. Please make sure you really need them for reference or research, otherwise recycle them, or give away.

18. reading folder

Designate a file for print articles and documents you want to read that aren’t urgent.

19. Archive files

When a project is complete, put all of the materials together and file them away. Keep your “working folders” for projects in progress.

20. straighten your desk

At the end of the day do a quick straighten, so you have a clean start the next day.

21. File weekly

Don’t let your filing pile up. Put your papers in a “To File” folder and file everything once a week.

Use one tip or try them all. The amount of effort you put into creating and maintaining an efficient work area will pay off in a big way. Instead of spending time looking for things and shuffling piles, you’ll be able to spend your time…well…working.


Mobile Phone UseEveryone talks loudly when they are on a mobile phone–fact. There’s no avoiding it, as noise on either end often makes being heard and hearing others difficult. Good tech etiquette in the office suggests that you should consider doing the following:

• keep the call short,

• move to an area where you will not be disturbing others,

• arrange a call on a landline (better call quality means less shouting).

social network UseUnless you are the social network tzar for your company or it’s part of the job, tech etiquette in office suggests that you should keep your social network use to a minimum. Find out about what is permissible by having a read through any IT policy and procedures. Take care to note whether your computer use is being monitored and limit social networking to accepted points in the day (usually lunch break).

surfing The Web For FunLeave surfing the web for when you are at home or on breaks. Surfing web sites that interest you may help kill a few hours, but it also can prevent you from getting things done. Avoid this distraction at all costs and focus on the task in hand.

Device ChargingIt is bad tech etiquette to unplug a device that is charging for someone else. Chances are, you will forget to plug the thing back in and may cause your colleague issues when they are out on the road or in a meeting. Instead ask to swap the charging device out or hunt for another plug socket.

instant Messaging Abuse or MisuseInstant Messaging (IM) has become an increasingly popular way of helping colleagues stay in touch. Less formal than an email, it allows short, sharp communication that otherwise might have needed a phone call. Be to keep your messages short and to the point sure when you are using IM. There is no harm in having your personality shine

Tips for Technology Etiquette in the officeby Gary Judge

As technology invades more and more of our personal and work lives, it is increasingly important that you are aware of tech etiquette in the office.

Workplace


through in your messages, but steer clear of waffle and joke messages as you are likely to get ignored by colleagues when you actually need them to respond quickly.

If you receive a message, it is expected that you should reply quickly and succinctly–assuming that you are not in a meeting or having a person-to-person conversation.

And don’t use it to keep up to date with friends on the company dime.

Using Laptops in MeetingsKeep your laptop use in any meetings to a minimum. Only use your laptop for the benefit of the meeting and don’t start working on something else. If the meeting

is focused and keeps to an agenda, there is no reason you should need use this as an opportunity to surf the web or respond to email.

If you find yourself in meetings where you could be more productive elsewhere, do your bit and excuse yourself. Don’t start messing about with your laptop and distract others in the process.

Printer suppliesIf you happen to run the printer out of toner or ink, do not leave it for someone else to replace. Do it yourself. If you end up using the last of the printer supplies from the stock cupboard, make sure you tell or

Continued

Workplace


Workplace

email the person responsible for ordering replacements. Don’t assume that someone else will sort it. Same goes for paper or if you see any unusual flashing lights on a printer (they usually mean something).

Large Print JobsIf you are going to send a large print job to a printer that will clog it up for more than a few minutes, do this:

• print on a printer that is rarely used, so it will not be noticed

• print at a time when others won’t mind,

• print after you’ve given your colleagues a warning.

Work Email is For WorkDon’t use your work email to keep in touch with friends and family. This is for use for work only and can help you keep a good separation between work and home life. With the proliferation of great email services available from the likes of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo there is no reason why you would need to use your work email in this way. Instead set up a separate account.

Bringing Viruses To WorkEasier said than done. Make sure that any computers at home have up-to-date antivirus protection and regularly scan any USB drives that might come in contact with both work and home machines. Better still if you can avoid it, do not use USB drives for moving data between devices; instead, use cloud services, as these have built in virus-checking to prevent you from inadvertently spreading viruses on these services.

get To Know Your iT PoliciesSpend some time reading the IT policies for your work place. Whilst there are common threads across most businesses, there will be some nuances that are particular to your job and working environment. Your employer is entitled to monitor your IT use if explicitly stated within policies that are reference by your employment contract. So getting to know what you can and can’t do may at least save you a little bit of embarrassment or it may save you your job.


Health

Britons are risking their online and financial security as well as the wrath of family members by neglecting their brain health, new research has revealed.

‘Braintenance’ drink Brainwave – which has been designed to help maintain brain function and helps fund Alzheimer’s and dementia research – surveyed hundreds of gym members to see if their brains were in as good-a-shape as their muscles. The results were worrying...

A massive 44% of people questioned couldn’t remember their mum’s birthday, while two-thirds had forgotten a family member’s birthday in the past year. One in three uniform online passwords and pin numbers in order to remember them all, while a quarter of people are jeopardising their financial future by writing down their online banking passwords due to forgetfulness.

In addition to this, only 16% of those asked could remember a seven-digit sequence after a minute of carrying out other tasks – a standard memory test previously thought to be simple for the average adult.

The research was carried out as part of

Brainwave’s quest to find Britain’s Most Beautiful Brain, which has pitted competitors against a series of mind-spinning vision-based challenges. Although there was little difference in average results for participants ranging from 15-54-years old, the challenge – which can be taken at www.brainwavedrinks.com/quiz - saw a drop of approximately 13% in success rates for those aged 55 and over, highlighting the need to look after our brain health.

Richard Baister, Founder and CEO of Brainwave, said:

“More and more people are taking sports supplements as part of their gym and health routines, but very few of us are thinking about what to eat and drink to maintain a healthy brain.”

Are we neglecting our brain health?• 44% of people can’t remember their mum’s birthday

• A third of people uniform their online passwords and pin numbers

• 85% couldn’t memorise a seven-number sequence


Technology

1. Top professional roles receiving pay rises will be in iT

Three of the top five roles in Robert Half’s 2016 Salary Guide are related to technology and are predicted to attract the highest salary rises this year. They include salaries1 for mobile applications developers, predicted to rise by 7.4% to between £32,500 and £61,500; web developers (rising 7.3% to between £36,500 and £55,000) and information security managers (rising 6.6% to between £63,250 and £97,000). Salaries are on the rise and negotiations are becoming commonplace.

2. Digital transformation opening doors for iT professionals

The growing demand for businesses to be offering anytime anywhere access seeing an increase in digital transformation projects across all sectors. Gartner’s predictions for 10 Strategic Technology Trends for

20162, which highlighted the emergence of the ‘digital mesh’, an expanding set of endpoints including mobile devices, wearable, consumer and home electronic devices, automotive devices and sensors. IT professionals who can help organisations understand the potential of mobile connectivity and innovation will be in huge demand and skills are already in short supply.

3. requirements for iT security skills will continue to evolve

Gartner also pointed to the requirement for an ‘adaptive security architecture’ which will mean less reliance on perimeter defence and rule-based security and more on application self-protection, as well as user and entity behaviour analytics. Keeping up to date with these changes in approach will be vital if companies are to fight off the ever-increasing prevalence of cyber-attacks.

Top 5 trends affecting technology professionals in 2016

Technology will be a major driver in the UK’s effort to rebuild productivity and boost growth, which in turn will create significant new opportunities for technology professionals, according to Robert Half Technology.


Technology

4. Technology is key to delivering UK productivity

Key drivers behind the substantial salary rises predicted for technology roles of 7% plus include the need to introduce innovation to drive growth and productivity, as well as the burgeoning technology sector itself, which is recognised as a key area to deliver future growth for the UK economy.

5. Finding and keeping talent is top of the agenda for CiOs

According to the 2016 Tech Nation report3 the UK’s digital economy grew 32% faster than the rest of the economy between 2011 and 2014 and already accounts for 1.56 million jobs across the UK. As a result attracting and retaining talented technology professionals will be a key priority for CIOs this year and it will be important to benchmark salary levels and benefits packages. Recognising that motivation for IT professionals is not always related to salary

is also vital: exciting projects, opportunity for innovation, flexible working and new technologies to work with are also plus points.

Neil Owen, Director, Robert Half Technology, said: “Technology is rapidly advancing and has become a fundamental part of customer interactions.

“We are seeing an uptick in requests for technology professionals with the right skills from organisations looking to innovate to improve productivity and increase market share. We are also aware that there is huge competition for the best people from smart start-ups and SMEs whose business is built on technology. Employers need to act decisively when meeting suitable candidates and offer a competitive salary and benefits package as skilled, talented IT professionals are often sought-after by multiple employers. Enhancing the workplace experience and employer brand will go a long way to ensure they keep their most valuable people.”


Lifestyle

1. The red Front DoorRed is the colour of passion. It is vibrant, lively and exciting and so too is the person behind the door. People who choose to paint their front door red are often some of the most welcoming and hospitable souls, delighting in entertaining and having guests. This explains why traditionally, red has represented a hospitable home. A red door says ‘welcome’ and it means it.

2. The Orange Front DoorOrange is the colour of warmth. It is an expression of energy, happiness and confidence. A blend of the primary colours red and yellow it represents a mixture of the qualities associated to each; the happiness of yellow and the boldness of red.

People who paint their front door orange are

often social butterflies. They love to entertain and certainly don’t shy away from the challenge of playing host.

3. The Yellow Front DoorYellow is the colour of logic. It represents the left side of the brain responsible for critical thinking and original thought. As the lightest colour in the spectrum it also inspires feelings of cheerfulness, fun and positivity.

The person living behind a yellow door is going to be both logical and lively with lots of vitality for life. Their positive attitude gives them the “get up and go” attitude.

4. The green Front DoorGreen is the colour of health and wealth. It is tranquil and traditional. With the combined power of representing health and wealth,

What does your front door say about you?There are few things quite as pleasing as decorating your brand new home. It is what makes a new build house feel like yours by reflecting your taste and your personality.

However, we all know that it is the first impression that often counts the most, so forget your beautifully decorated interiors with carefully chosen furniture, because it could well be the colour of your front door that reveals most about you…


Lifestyle

Continued

the individuals living behind the green door are often successful and ambitious. They value the well-being of their family as well as working hard and self-improvement.

5. The Blue Front DoorBlue is the colour of peace. It is calming, relaxing and honest. The sound of the sea breeze and the ocean waves have often been used as examples of peace and relaxation, so it is no wonder that blue represents these qualities.

Someone who chooses to paint their door

blue will value the peace and tranquillity it brings and will view their home as a place of refuge from the pressures of the outside world. They will also be grounded, honest and true to themselves.

6. The Purple Front DoorPurple means extravagance. It reflects wealth, fantasy and risk. It is no surprise then, that the person who picks purple is more than comfortable taking a risk or two.

They will also enjoy the finer things in life, indulging in treats and pleasures where ever


Lifestyle

they can. More than that though, the person behind the purple door will dream big and even consider themselves free spirited.

7. The Pink Front DoorPink is the colour of love. A mix of red and white it blends the qualities of these two colours. The passion and boldness of red is softened by the purity of white making it romantic, loving and thoughtful.

As you may well guess then, the person living behind a pink door is the neighbourhood’s hopeless romantic! They will make a good partner and a great friend thanks to their caring nature and thoughtfulness.

8. The Brown Front DoorBrown is the colour of earth. It is warm, stable and organic. Whether painted brown or natural wood, the person behind this door will share the same characteristics as the colour. They will be grounded, down to earth, warm and friendly.

However, should the shade of brown be on the darker side of the spectrum then it could reflect a more private soul, looking to avoid too much interaction with the outside world.

9. The Black Front Door Black is the colour of sophistication. It is classic, authoritative and stylish. Paining your front door black makes a bold statement. It tells the world your home is a place of order and control.

That means the person living behind the black front door is likely to have a place for everything and everything in its place. They are a strong, sophisticated person of substance and style.

10. The grey Front DoorGrey is the colour of contentment. It is calm, practical and reserved. Being a mix between black and white, grey can also be considered the colour of indecision and even indifference. The person who has a grey front door will be looking for a quiet life.

They don’t like to stand out too much and are happy making the compromises often demanded by modern life, to ensure stability and balance in their lives.

11. The White Front Door White is the colour of perfection. It represents wholeness, equality and perhaps surprisingly, creativity. White is the sum of all colours in equal measures and that’s why it has connotations of wholeness and equality.

Like the colour, the person living behind the white door will be someone who is very fair. They will be open to all sides of an argument, carefully balancing each side to arrive at a fair resolution. They are also likely to be highly imaginative, able to fill the blankness of white with ideas and creativity.

12. The glass Front DoorLast but by no means least, the glass door. Like the material itself, the person behind the glass door has nothing to hide. They are friendly, outgoing and open.

So, does your front door suit you or will you be making a change?

New Home Finder provides everything you need to know about buying a new home. Visit www.newhomefinder.co.uk

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